Carpet Problems: All About Carpet Pile Reversal

As discussed in a recent blog post, carpet shading is an apparent color difference between areas of the same carpet. Shading is seen all over a cut pile carpet. Pile reversal or reverse pile is an extreme form of shading with the pile yarns laying on their sides, causing the carpet to look darker in the affected areas. You see it mostly in high-traffic areas (think hallways) or at pivot points (like doorways). Pile reversal is similar to crushed-velvet furniture fabrics, with light and dark shades.

Some people think shading and pile reversal are ugly because the color is uneven. Others consider it the mark of a fine quality carpet. Oriental rugs often have shading or pile reversal. But the rugs’ ornate patterns tend to make these conditions less noticeable. At any rate, mills will not replace a carpet for pile reversal because they know the replacement will probably reverse, too.

Glenn Revere has been a carpet expert since 1973. He’s a certified flooring inspector and the author of All About Carpets, the only book written to protect and inform you about your carpet choices, from carpet buying and carpet warranties to carpet care and maintenance. You can find him on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter.

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Glenn Revere is a nationally recognized Carpet Inspector who has dedicated his life to the study, maintenance, and sales of carpets. He specializes in carpet, laminate, hardwood, and engineered flooring. Glenn consults for individuals, manufacturers, and installers.